Jurgen Klopp says 12:30 kick-offs are a ‘crime’ – does Liverpool boss have a point?

If there is one thing Jurgen Klopp will not miss about English football, it is the Premier League’s early kick-off on a Saturday.

The Liverpool boss has made no secret of his dislike for the 12.30pm kick-off time, and referred to it in 2018 as the “breakfast” slot.

Klopp took aim at the Premier League and its broadcasters again on Friday, describing the scheduling as “absolutely insane” during his news conference.

He joked: “I was actually waiting for Amnesty International to go to them. I would like to be part of that meeting when someone says ‘Liverpool 12:30’ and the whole room is bursting into laughter.”

On broadcaster TNT, which has the Saturday 12:30 slot, Klopp added: “I had a discussion only the other day with colleagues from our favourite TV channel which I will definitely not watch again, TNT…”

Klopp described his views as “a little advice from an old man on the way out”, and said Liverpool being asked to play “Thursday, Sunday, Wednesday, Saturday 12.30 is a crime”.

It prompted Wayne Rooney to tell the Dutchman to “get on with it” – but if Liverpool feel unfairly targeted, then they may have a point.

Of the 331 Premier League matches that Klopp has taken charge of at Liverpool, 13.6% have been given an early kick-off time – a higher percentage than any other club during his time in England.

Since Klopp took charge in October 2015, Liverpool have featured in 45 early kick-offs – more than any other Premier League club.

Manchester City (40), Tottenham (40) and Manchester United (35) have played significantly fewer early matches in that time, while Chelsea (33) and Arsenal (31) are further behind.

Liverpool’s overall Premier League win percentage under Klopp is 63% but it drops to 49% for matches played in the lunchtime slot.

The Reds have won just 22 of their 45 early kick-offs, losing eight times and drawing 15.

Klopp claimed that “in the whole world we have the quickest turnaround between games”.

But he added that the impact of early kick-off times does not just affect his team, suggesting the Premier League’s scheduling is partly to blame for English clubs’ struggles in Europe this season.

“In general I think it’s a really interesting subject. Aston Villa lost 4-2 last night for example – [it] would mean if they go out no English team will be in any kind of European final,” said Klopp.

“I watch a lot of football. The Premier League is the best league in the world so it’s not overrated, the players are over-worked.”

A common criticism of the early kick-off time is that it compromises the quality of the match.

But analysis from the Athletic shows that, in nine of the past 15 Premier League seasons, the goals scored per game in the ‘early’ kick-off slot has exceeded the average goals scored per game in the campaign as a whole.

Criticism of the early kick-off slot for hindering entertainment would therefore appear largely unfounded.

The Premier League has certain red lines when it comes to fixture selection and matches for broadcast.

Teams competing in the Champions League on a Wednesday night will never be selected for Saturday’s 12.30pm slot, while teams will never be asked to play twice within 60 hours.

There are further considerations to be made, including fans’ travel arrangements, broadcast slots and policing.

BBC Sport has contacted the Football Association for comment.

BBC Sport chief football news writer Simon Stone:

TNT’s only broadcast ‘slot’ is the Saturday lunchtime one, so that is their opportunity to get the ‘biggest’ teams on their channel. No team can be in that specific slot more than six times in a season.

The caveats are no team involved in a Thursday night match can play in it. No team who plays away from home in the Champions League on a Wednesday night can play in it.

None of these rules have been breached by the scheduling of Liverpool’s games this season.

However, there is a clear reason why Jurgen Klopp might feel aggrieved.

Firstly, on two of the six occasions Liverpool have been chosen for the 12:30 slot, it has been straight after midweek league games. After the September, October and November international breaks, they got the 12:30 slot then too.

And don’t forget that quite often managers do not see their players after international breaks until Thursday or maybe even Friday given the amount of travelling time involved from various parts of the world.